Inflatable escape slideway apparatus

ABSTRACT

The disclosed apparatus includes a collapsible helical balloon filled with a pressurized gas to provide a helical slideway vertically extending. The balloon has an upper half including convolutions constant in diameter and a lower half including convolutions gradually increased in diameter toward its end and is sandwiched in fixed relationship between a pair of collapsible outer and inner tubular members. A horizontal platform provided with an entrance to the slideway projects from the boardside of a ship to hang down both tubular members at their upper ends. The tubular members are connected at their lower ends to a collapsible float unit floating on the sea surface. The outer tubular member is provided on the lower end portion with an exit to the float unit. The lower half of the helical balloon can also be confined in a spiral space formed of a vertically extended collapsible spiral member connected to the lower edges of the outer and inner members terminating adjacent its upper end and having the outermost convolution located outside of the outer tubular member.

United States Patent [191 Kinase et al.

[ 1 INFLATABLE ESCAPE SLIDEWAY APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Takeo Kinase; Akiyoshi Higuchi;

Akira Inokuma, all of Sagamihara, Japan [73] Assigneef Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha,

Japan 22 Filed: o.12,1972

21 Appl.No.:296,764

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 25, 1974 Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert E. Burns; Emmanuel .l. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams [5 7] ABSTRACT The disclosed apparatus includes a collapsible helical balloon filled with a pressurized gas to provide a helical slideway vertically extending. The balloon has an upper half including convolutions constant in diameter and a lower half including convolutions gradually increased in diameter toward its end and is sandwiched in fixed relationship between a pair of collapsible outer and inner tubular members. A horizontal platform provided with an entrance to the slideway projects from the boardsicle of a ship to hang down both tubular members at their upper ends. The tubular members are connected at their lower ends to a collapsible float unit floating on the sea surface. The outer tubular member is provided on the lower end portion with an exit to the float unit. The lower half of the helical balloon can also be confined in a spiral space formed of a vertically extended collapsible spiral member connected to the lower edges of the outer and inner members terminating adjacent its upper end and having the outermost convolution located outside of the outer tubular member.

20 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEU SHEU 1 [1F 4 FIG.

FIG. 5

PATENTEU 1111251914 SHEET 2 [IF 4 FIG. 2

PATENTEBJUNZSIHH Ow mm mm l INFLATABLE ESCAPE SLHDEWAY APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE lNVENTlON low cylindrical column disposed coaxially within and coextensive with the outer envelope to form a tubular space therebetween of annular cross section, supporting means for supporting the outer envelope and inner column at their upper ends to extend them vertically, an inflatable helical balloon disposed in fixed relation ship with respect to the envelope and column within the tubular space and capable of being filled with a pressurized gas to provide a slideway helically extending about the column, and an inflatable raft connected to the lower ends of the envelope and column. The outer envelope is provided on the upper end portion with a boarding extrance and on the lower end portion with an exit with the entrance and exit adjacent to the ends of the slideway. In general ships at sea have the distance between the boarding entrance to the escape slideway and the sea surface capable of much changing due to undulationsof the sea, the loadage on and rolling of the same etc. even so far as the same ship is concerned. Thus, the abovementioned type of inflatable escape slideway apparatus having the upper end hung down from the ship and the raft floating on the sea surface has been disadvantageous in that, due to a limited elasticity provided by the helical slideway having a fixed outside diameter, the raft may be separated away from the sea surface to dangle in space for a maximum magnitude of the distance between the upper end of the slideway and the sea surface while the trunk portion of thereof will be forcedly curved for a minimum magnitude of that distance with the result that the function of the slideway can not be performed. it is desirable to cause escape slideway apparatus of the type referred to be rapidly expansible and contractible in response to any change in the distance between the boarding entrance to the slideway and the sea surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved inflatable escape slideway apparatus adapted to be hung down from the boardside of a ship to be vertically extended and expansible and contractible in response to a change in a distance between the boarding entrance to the inflated slideway and the sea surface resulting from undulations of the sea, the loadage on and rolling of the ship etc. ensuring that the salvage work is safely performed under any circumstances leading to a great increase in reliability.

According to its aspect, the invention accomplishes this object by the provision of an inflatable escape slide-way apparatus including a slide unit comprising an outer collapsible tubular member, an inner collapsible tubular member disposed coaxially within the outer tubular member and coextensive with the outer tubular member to form a tubular space therebetween, supporting means for supporting the outer and inner tubular members at their upper ends to extend them vertically, an inflatable helical balloon disposed in fixed relationship with respect to the outer and inner tubular members within the tubular space and capable of being filled with a gas under pressure to provide a slideway helically extending about the inner tubular member, a boarding entrance disposed adjacent the upper end of the slideway, an exit provided on the lower end portion of the outer tubular member to be adjacent to lower end of the slideway, and an inflatable float unit connected directly to the lower end of the slide unit, wherein the helical slideway includes an upper half having convolutions remaining unchanged in diameter of coil to provide a straight cylindrical profile, and a lower half having convolutions gradually increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end thereof resembling a truncated conical spring thereby to be expanded and contracted in accordance with the vertical movement of the float unit to automatically adjust the height of the lower slide half.

I The outer and inner tubular members may preferably include respective lower halves downwardly flared in conformity with an increase in diameter of the convolution of the helical balloon to accommodate the lower half of thereof. In that event, the outer tubular member may be conveniently provided on the lower end portion with at least one of intermediate exit normally closed with a collapsible covering piece readily removable from the intermediate exit through the manual operation of any person sliding down along the helical slideway.

in order to aid in contracting the lower half of the helical slideway in response to the rise of the sea surface, contraction aiding means is disposed on at least one of the outer and inner surfaces respectively of the outer and inner tubular member on the lower half, including a plurality of lengths of resilient cord fixed at predetermined equal intervals in longitudinally substantially parallel relationship on the associated surface to tend to contract the associated tubular member in a bellows shape.

In order to impart a rigidly to the upper half of the slide unit sufficient to prevent it from transversely bending by means of the action of any transverse force applied thereto, the inner tubes member may include an upper half closed at both ends and capable of being filled with a gas under pressure. Alternatively, an inflatable balloon may be fitted into the upper half of the inner tubular member.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an inflatable escape slideway apparatus including a slide unit comprising an outer collapsible tubular member, an inner collapsible tubular member disposed coaxially within the outer tubular member to form a tubular space therebetween, supporting means for supporting the outer and inner tubular members at the upper ends to extend them vertically, an inflatable helical balloon having convolutions remaining unchanged in diameter of coil and convolutions gradually increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end thereof to form a lower portion thereof, the constant diameter convolutions of the helical balloon being disposed in fixed relationship with respect to the outer and inner tubular member within the tubular space, an annular collapsible balloon fixedly disposed around the outer tubular member at a level substantially equal to the level of the last one of the convolutions of the heli- 3 cal balloons remaining unchanged in diameter of coil, a spiral collapsible member downwardly suspended from the outer and inner tubular members at their lower end and the annular balloons to form a spiral space between convolutions thereof, within which the convolutions of the helical balloon gradually increased in diameter of coil are disposed in fixed relationship with respect to the spiral member, the spiral member including at least the outermost convolution having a diameter of coil greater than the diameter of the outer tubular member, the outermost convolution being fixed at the longitudinal edge to the convolution lying under the same to leave an exit on the lower end adjacent to the lower end of the slideway, and a boarding entrance disposed adjacent the lower end of the slideway, and an inflatable float unit connected directly to the lower end of the slide unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view, partly in longitudinal section, of an inflatable escape slideway apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and illustrated in its operative position with the internal structure shown in phantom and with some parts omitted;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view as looking in the line II II of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of one portion of the slideway apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmental front view of the intermediate exit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V V of FIG. 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmental side elevational view, partly in section, of the combined dropping and boarding platform shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification of the invention illustrated in its operativeposition with some parts omitted;

FIG. 8 is a fragmental side elevational view, partly in longitudinal section, of the details of one element of the contraction aiding mechanism shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating another modification of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower half of the arrangement shown in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. I but illustrating still another modification of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and FIG. 1 in particu* lar, it is seen that an arrangement disclosed herein includes a slide unit A comprising an outer collapsible cylindrical envelope 10 of circular cross section extended vertically, an inner collapsible hollow cylindrical column 12 of circular cross section coextensive and disposed coaxially with the outer envelope 10 to form an annular cylindrical space 14 therebetween, and a balloon 16 shown as being in the form of a helicoid of circular cross section disposed within that space 14. The outer envelope 10 and the inner column 12 may be made of any suitable strong and flexible material such as rubber-coated cloth and the balloon 16 may be formed of any suitable flexible material such as rubbercoated cloth impermeable to the gas used, for example. air. The balloon 16 is fixed to both the outer envelope l0 and the inner column 12 and can be filled with any suitable pressurized gas for example air under pressure so as to be inflated into a helical shape of circular cross section. The inflated helical balloon I6'has an upper helical slide surface providing a slideway along which persons may slide down. The slide surface, in this case, has sliding channel 18 thereon (see FIG. 3) to facilitate slidingThe sliding channel 18 has both side walls also fixed to both the outer envelope l0 and the inner column 12 and is preferably formed of a vinyl resin-coated cloth.

According to the principles of the invention, the inflated helical balloon 16 has an upper half including their convolutions remaining unchanged in radius of curvature about the longitudinal axis of the slide unit A or in diameter of coil throughout the length thereof, and a lower half including their convolutions gradually increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end thereof.

' In the arrangement of FIG. 1, the upper halves of the outer envelope 10 and the inner column 12 are in the form of straight cylindrical surfaces to house the upper half of the helical baloon 16 therebetween while the lower halves thereof is downwardly flared in conformity with the lower half of the helical balloon 16 resembling a truncated conical spring for the purpose of accommodating the latter therebetween. Therefore the slide unit A comprises inflatable helical slide means which includes its upper half in the form of a cylinder generally designated by the reference character A and extendable and contractible inflatable helical slide means which includes its lower half flared downwardly or in the form of a truncated cone and generally designated by the reference character A As shown in FIG. 1, a collapsible float unit B is of the conventional construction and fixed or detachably secured to the lower end of the slide unit A in the manner well known in the art. The float unit B includes a pair of collapsible annular balloons 20 and 22 engaged in superposed relationship by each other and a collapsible piece 24 of waterproof material such as waterproof cloth sandwiched in its tensioned state between the annular balloons 20 and 22 serving as a waiting place as will be described hereinafter. The balloons 20 and 24 may be made of the same material as the helical balloon 16. The upper annular balloon 20 is fully encircled with a length of protective rope 26 higher in wear resistance than the material thereof and bonded at important points to the outer periphery thereof by a plurality of patches 28 for the purpose as will be apparent later.

While the float unit B is shown in FIG. 2 as being of a round square shape, it is to be understood that it may have any additional desired shape other than the square shape illustrated.

In order to hang the slide unit A with the float unit B from the side of a ship, a combined dropping and boarding platform C in the form of a box is shown in FIG. 1 as horizontally projecting beyond a boardside D of the ship and including a boarding surface or the upper surface as viewed in FIG. 1 attached to the upper ends of the outer envelope 10 and the inner column 12 extending vertically through a plurality of loops of tying wire rope 38?. Then the platform C is supported from the boardside D. To this end, a pair of spaced eyebolts 32 (only one of which is illustrated in FIGS. I and 6) are disposed at the outer edge of the boarding surfaces of the platform C while another pair of eyebolts 34 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 6) are secured to the upper portion of a wall defining a cavity 36 formed in the upper end portion of the boardside D so as to be aligned with the eyebolts 34 respectively. Then one length of wire rope 3 3 is spanned between each pair of aligned eyebolts 32 and 3 as shown in FIG. 6.

The box-shaped platform C has a boarding entrance, as schematically shown by the reference numeral 40 in FIGS. I and 6, provided on that portion of the boarding surface adjacent to the upper end of the helical sliding channel 18 and the lower surface provided with an opening 42 through which the slide unit A extends downwardly. The opening 42 can be closed with a cover plate (not shown) in the inoperative position of the platform C.

The outer envelope If) is provided on the lower end portion with the lowermost exit 44 adjacent to the lower end of the sliding channel I8 and on the lower half with a plurality, in this case, two of intermediate exits 46 shown at dotted line in FIGS. I and 41. The intermediate exits 46 are normally closed with respective collapsible covering pieces 48 made, of for example, cloth.

As shown in FIG. 5, the covering piece 48 is removably connected to the peripheral edge of each exit 46 through a locking device 50 consisting of a multiplicity of .I-shaped plastic pins planted into the form of a tape at the entire peripheral edge of the inner surface of the covering piece 48 and a multiplicity of plastic ringlets planted in the same shape as the pins on that portion of the outer envelope surface surrounding the exit 46 to be removably engaged by the pins. The locking device 50 can readily be manually released from the inside of the outer envelope 16 for opening the exit 46. If desired, buttoning or hooking means may be used in place of the locking device 50 as shown in FIG. 5.

The slide and float units A and B respectively are normally accommodated in collapsing stateinto the box-shaped platform C with the opening $2 closed. Then the platform C is disposed at its upright position within the cavity 36 on the boardside C as shown at dotted line in FIG. 5.

In order to move the box C from its inoperative or upright position as shown at dotted line in FIG. 5 to its operative or horizontal position as shown at solid line in FIGS. I and 5, upon the occurrence of a shipwreck, the cavity 36 has a plurality, in the example illustrated, four of inflatable balloons disposed in rows and columns on the vertical wall thereof provided with an emergency exit 56 as shown at clotted blocks within solid blocks 58 and 60 respectively in FIG. 6. Those balloon can be filled with any suitable pressurized gas for example air under pressure from an inboard source of pressurized gas through a charger although the source and charger are not illustrated. When inflated such as shown at solid blocks 58 and 66, the balloons push the upright platform C outboard. Since the platform C is pivotably mounted at its lower end as viewed at its upright position in FIG. 6, to the bottom of the cavity 36 through a pivot shaft 62, the platform C is rotated about the axis of the shaft 62 in the counterclockwised direction as shown in FIG. 6 until it occupies the horizontal or operative position as shown in solid line in FIGS. I and 6.

Immediately following this, the horizontal boxshaped platform C opens the normally closed opening 42 through which the slide and float units A and B drop due to their own weights. At that time the helical balloon I6 is filled with any suitable pressurized gas such as air under pressure from an inboard source of pressurized gas disposed for that purpose through the associated charger. In the float unit B, the annular balloons 20 and 22 can be inflated by a source of pressurized gas disposed on the float unit B. Alternatively the balloons 20 and 22 may be put in fluid communication with the helical balloons I6 and all these balloons are inflated from a common source of pressurized gas through the associated charger. Only for purposes of illustration such sources and chargers are not illustrated. In this way, the inflated escape slideway apparatus occupies its position as shown in FIG. I with the float unit B floating on the sea surface E which has been ready for escaping persons from the wrecked ship.

Under these circumstances, persons on the wrecked ship can pass through the now opened exit 56 to the boarding surface of the platform C maintained in its horizontal position to hang down the slide unit A with the float unit B. Then they successively enter the boarding entrance 40 and slide down along the helical sliding channel 18 until they reach the lowermost exit 44 one after another. Then the persons can stand up on the tensioned piece 24 where they wait and transfer to life boats and/or rafts contacting the float unit B. As above described, the length of protective rope 26 attached to the entire periphery of the upper balloon 20 is effective for preventing the float unit 3 violently swinging on the sea surface E from contacting shells and the like attached to the boardside D thereby to break the annular balloons 20 and 22.

As above described, ships at sea generally change in the distance between the boarding entrance to the slideway and the sea surface (which may be called hereinafter the entrance to-sea distance) due to undulations of the sea, the loadage on and rolling of the ship etc. According to the principles of the invention, any change in that distance is adapted to be absorbed by the lower slide portion A More specifically, as above described, that portion of the helical balloon 16 disposed in the lower slide half A and therefore the corresponding sliding channel 18 fixed thereupon has the convolutions gradually increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end thereof. It has been found that each of those convolutions has a diameter of coil sufficient to permit that convolution located immediately above the same along with that portion of the outer envelope collapsing between these two convolutions to be disposed within the underlaid convolution with satisfactory results.

If the entrance-to-sea distance decreases, the slide unit A will be forced up. In that event, the lower slide half A is first contracted whereas the upper slide half A can be only slightly contracted because the upper half of the helical balloon I6 constant in diameter of coil is more rigid than the lower half thereof gradually changed in diameter of coil. More specifically, with the entrance-to-sea distance decreased to force up the slide unit A, those convolutions of the helical balloon l6 disposed in the lower slide half A progressively decrease in angle of inclination to the horizontal plane starting with the lowermost convolution. This results in a reduction in the height of the lower slide half A Eventually,

each convolution will occupy its horizontal position in which it becomes substantially flush with and encircles the convolution previously underlaid therewith.

On the other hand, as the entranceto-sea distance increases, the convolutions of the lower portion of the balloon 16 has become larger in angle of inclination. Thus the lower half of the helical balloon l6 and there fore of the slide unit A is permitted to be expanded up to a predetermined maximum height. Thus it will be appreciated that the lower half of the helical balloon 16 and hence of the slide unit A serves as means for automatically adjusting the height of the slide unit A so as to compensate for a change in the entrance-to-sea distance.

The lower slide half A may be much contracted enough to cause that portion of the sliding channel 18 adjacent to the lowermost exit 44 to be blocked. Alternatively, that portion of the helical balloon 16 adjacent to the exit 44 and therefore the corresponding portion of the sliding channel 18 may be bent to occupy its substantially horizontal position to impede persons from sliding therealong for some reasons. Under these circumstances, a person having slid down along the sliding channel 18 can manually remove the covering piece 48 normally closing that intermediate exit 46 next to the exit 44 in the upward direction from the inside of the exit 46 after which persons can successively escape from the slide unit A through the now opened exit 46. If the lower slide half A further decreases in height so that persons can not escape therefrom through the intermediate exit 46 just described, then the upper exit 46 next thereto serves to permit the escape of persons after it has been opened as above described.

.In FIG. 7 wherein like reference numerals designate the components similar or corresponding to those shown in FIG. 1, there is illustrated a modification of the invention including means for imparting a rigidity to the upper half A, of the slide unit A and causing the lower half A thereof to rapidly respond to a change in the entrance-tosea distance for example due to the rise and fall of the sea surface.

As shown in FIG. 7, that portion of the inner column 12 disposed in the upper slide half A is closed at both ends 12a and 12b and can be filled with pressurized gas from an inboard source of pressurized gas through the associated charger as does the helical balloon 16. Only for purposes of illustration, the source and charger are not shown in FIG. 7. The end closed portion of the inner column 12 has a gaseous pressure imparting a rigidity thereto sufficient to prevent the same from laterally bending due to'any applied lateral force for example the wind or centrifugal force resulting from persons sliding down along the helical balloon 16. This measure causes the stabilization of the upper slide half A whereby persons can readily slide down within the latter without anxiety.

The same result can be obtained with the arrangement of FIG. 1 having snugly fitted into and fixed to the upper half of the inner column 12 a collapsible balloon (not shown) complementary in shape to the upper column l2 half.

As also shown in FIG. 7, a contraction aiding device labelled F is disposed on the outer and inner peripheral surfaces respectively of those flared portions of the outer and inner tubular members 10 and 12 forming the lower slide half A FIG. 8 shows one element of the device F attached to the outer peripheral surface of the flared outer envelope l0 portion. The device F includes a plurality of longitudinal arrays of contraction aiding elements circumferentially disposed at predetermined angular equal intervals on either of the outer and inner surfaces respectively of the flared portions of the envelope l0 and the column 12. Each longitudinal array of the elements is composed of a plurality of cloth seats 64 sewn at predetermined equal intervals on the associated tubular member, a plurality of annulated patches 66 also sewn on the respective seats 60 and provided with individual rings 68 and a length of resilient cord 70 threaded through the longitudinally aligned rings 68 and fixed to them as by looping as shown in FIG. 8. Then all the lengths of resilient cord 70 are uniformly tensioned enough to maintain normally both tubular members 10 and 12 in the form of bellows as shown in FIG. 7. It is noted that the lengths of resilient cord 66 are tensioned so that, with the lower slide half A expanded to its maximum length, the lengths of resilient cord are prevented from further expanding by means of the associated tubular members 10 and 12 while, with the lower slide half A put in the most contracted state, they are still contractible.

Under these circumstances, the lengths of resilient cord can be expanded by the action of the weight of the float unit B and eventually the lower slide half A will be fully expanded. If the sea surface E rises, the lower slide half A is rapidly contracted into a bellows shape by means of the rubber cord 70 of the contraction aiding device tending to be contracted resulting in a uniformly contracted state.

If the lower slide half A would be contracted at a rate less than a rate at which the sea surface E rises to raise the slide unit a. then there is a fear that the sea waves may be higher than the float unit B to flow into the latter as well as causing any unexpected break due to a strain developed in the lower slide half A in the case the rate at which the sea surface rises the slide unit A is higher than the contraction rate of lower slide half A The contraction aiding device according to the invention has a rapid response sufficient to avoid those fears;

If desired, the length of resilient cord 70 may be replaced by any suitable means similar in resilience to the same for example a helical spring means.

In other respects, the arrangement shown in FIG. 7 is identical to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6. While the device F is shown in FIG. 7 as being disposed on each of the flared envelope and column portions it is to be noted that the device may be operatively connected to either one of the flared envelope and column portions with satisfactory results.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show an arrangement similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6 except for the construction of the lower slide half A FIG. 9 shows diagrammatically another modification of the slideway apparatus in its operative position and FIG. 10 shows a vertical section of the lower slide half thereof in somewhat enlarged scale. Unlike the arrangements as previously described, the arrangement illustrated includes the lower slide half A having an outer cylindrical envelope greater in diameter than the outer envelope of the upper slide half A and including a upper tapered end portion subsequently fixed in encircling relationship to the lower end portion of the upper slide half A,. The arrangement is different from the arrangements as previously described only in means for fixing that portion of the helical balloon having the convolutions gradually increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end.

As shown in FIG. 9, that portion of the helical balloon 16 including the constant diameter convolutions slightly extends into the lower slide half A The inner tubular member 12 is bevelled at a level substantially equal to the level of the lowermost one of the constant diameter balloon convolutions to form a lower edge "72 fixed to that convolution while an extension 74 is left as best shown in FIG. 10. On the other hand, the outer tubular member is similarly bevelled at a level slightly lower than that of the lower edge 72 to form a lower edge 76. Then lower edge 76 is suitably bonded to the extension 74 of the inner tubular member 12 into a V-shaped cross section to bias the adjacent portion of the inner tubular member 12 outwardly in the radial direction. This results in an increase in diameter of convolution of the balloon 16.

Then an annular collapsible balloon 78 encircles in fixed relationship the outer tubular member 10 substantially equal in level to the lowermost one of the constant diameter balloon convolutions. Also a collapsible spiral member 80 of the same material as the outer and inner tubular members 10 and 12 respectively is hung down from the latter on the lower end portions and also from the annular balloon 78 to form a spiral space 82 between the convolutions thereof with the inner longitudinal edge suitably attached to the inner tubular member 12. The spiral member 80 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 as including the outermost convolution greater in diameter than the outer tubular member 111 and having the upper taper end portion encircling in fixed relationship the lower end portion of the outer tubular member 10. The outermost convolution of the spiral member 80 is fixed at the longitudinal edge to that convolution lying just under the same so as to leave an exit as the lower end adjacent to the lower end of the slideway althrough they are not illustrated.

The annular balloon 78 is put in fluid communication with the helical balloon 16 to be filled with a gas e.g. air under pressure ensuring the formation of the spiral space 82.

That portion of the helical ballon 16 including the constant diameter convolutions extends slightly into the lower slide half A until it reaches the lower end of the extension 74 of the inner tubular member 12 where the convolution fixedly sandwiched between the extension 74 and the opposite convolution of the spiral member 80 to be initiated to increase in diameter. Thereaf ter the balloon 16 enters the outermost convolution of the spiral space 82 whereby the convolution further increase in diameter and terminates at the exit as above described not shown in FIGS. 9 and 111.

It will readily be understood that the number of the convolutions of the spiral piece 80 depends upon the number of the convolutions of the helical balloon 16 gradually increased in radius of cirvature.

In other respects, the arrangement shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is identical to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6.

In order to prevent any person sliding down along the sliding channel 18 within the lower slide half A from falling through a gap formed between the extension 74 of the inner column 12 and the adjacent portion of the outer tubular member 10, the gap can be closed with a piece of covering cloth complementary in shape to the same although the covering piece is not illustrated.

In the arrangement as shown in FIGS. 9' and 10, it is noted that in the lower slide half A the sliding channel 18 is effectively prevented from being blocked even in the most contracted state thereof.

In order to escape persons, two at a time, from the wrecked ship, the invention can be realized into an arrangement as shown in F16. 11 wherein like reference numerals designate the components similar or corresponding to those shown in FIG. 1. As shown, a pair of collapsible helical balloons 16 and 16' identical to the helical balloon 16 as previously described in conjunction with FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are vertically superposed on each other in tubular space formed between an outer envelope 10 and an inner column 12 similar to those shown in FIG. 1 so that the convolutions of one of the balloons alternate those of the other balloon with all the convolutions disposed at substantially equal intervals. The balloons 16 and 16 have respective upper ends vertically aligned with and different in level from each other and respective lower ends diametrically opposing to each other and facing the lowermost exits 44 and 441' also disposed in diametrically opposing relationship at the lower end of the flared portion of the outer envelope 11). Thus the associated sliding channels (not shown) have their lower ends terminating at the adjacent exits respectively.

As shown in FIG. 11, the upper end portion of the outer envelope 10 is provided on that portion directly below the dropping and supporting platform C with a pair of boarding entrances 841 and 841' and seeing the upper ends of the helical balloons 16 and 16' respec tively. The boarding entrances 8 1 and 84 are adapted to be connected, for example, to emergency exit for the upper and lower decks of the ship through individual bridges 86 and 86' formed of any suitable thick cloth or rope although the exits and decks are not illustrated.

If desired, one or more of intermediate exits and the associated pieces of covering cloth may be provided on the lower half of the outer envelope 111 as shown in FIG. 1.

In other respects the arrangement is identical to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 6. In operation persons can simultaneously pass through the boarding entrances $41 and 841 and slide down along the two sliding channels (not shown) on the respective helical balloons 16 and 16' until they reach the associated exits 44 and 414'. In other words, the arrangement permits persons to escape two at a time from'the wrecked ship substantially doubing the ability to escape persons from the wrecked ship.

In all the arrangements as above described the helical sliding channel is generally formed, for example, of vinyl resin-coated cloth so that it can generate a large quantity of electrostatic charge resulting from a friction occurring between the same and each of persons sliding down therealong. This could have led to a fear that after having slided down along the sliding channel, any person charged at a higher electric potential will touch another person or persons charged at a lower potential to impart an electric shock to the latter.

In order to prevent the sliding channel from electrically charging due to the friction occurring between channel and persons sliding therealong, a layer of any suitable electrically conductive coating composition, for example, rubber cement or a resinous solution including carbon or aluminum in the form of a powder may be applied to the surface of the sliding channel 18. Then the conductive layer is suitably connected to one end of a length of ground wire having the other end immersed in the sea or connected to the ship. In FIG. 7, for example, such a ground wire labelled the reference character G is shown as being at one end connected to the lower end portion of the sliding channel 18 and at the other end to a ground plate immersed in the sea.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the object of the invention has been accomplished by the provision of an inflatable helical balloon including a lower half having convolutions graudally increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end thereof to be rapidly contractible and expansible in response to a change in the associated entrance-to-sea distance, for example, due to the rise and fall of the sea-level. The impartment of the vertical flexibility to escape slideway apparatus permits the apparatus to be applied to a wide variety of ships. Thus inflatable escape apparatus will be possible to be of a standard size leading to a decrease in production cost therefor.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in conjunction a few preferred embodiments thereof it is to be understood that numerous changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus including a slide unit comprising an outer collapsible tubular member, an inner collapsible tubular member disposed coaxially within the outer tubular member and coextensive with said outer tubular member to form a tubular space therebetween, supporting means for supporting said outer and inner tubular members at the upper ends to extend them vertically, an inflatable helical-balloon disposed in fixed relationship with respect to said outer and inner tubular members within said tubular space and capable of being filled with a gas under pressure to provide a slideway helically extending about said inner tubular member, a boarding entrance disposed adjacent the upper end of said slideway, an exit provided on the lower end portion of said slide unit, to be adjacent to the lowerend of said slideway, and an inflatable float unit connected directly to the lower end of said slide unit, wherein said helical slideway includes an upper portion having convolutions remaining unchanged in diameter of coil, and a lower portion having convolutions gradually increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end thereof thereby to be expanded and contracted in accordance with the vertical movement of said float unit to automatically adjust the height of said slide unit.

2. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer and inner tubular members include respective lower portions downwardly flared to accommodate the lower portions of said helical balloon therebetween.

3. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said outer tubular member is provided on the lower portion thereof with at least one intermediate normally closed exit, a collapsible covering piece covering said intermediate exit and manually removable by a person sliding down along said helical slideway.

4. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the outer and inner surfaces respectively of said outer and inner tubular members is provided on the lower portions with means including a plurality of lengths of resilient cord fixed at predetermined equal intervals in substantially longitudinally parallel relationship on the associated surface for urging the associated tubular member to contract into a bellows shape.

5. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion of said inner tubular member is closed at both ends and includes means for filling the interior thereof with a gas under pressure to impart a rigidity thereto.

6. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion of said inner tubular member has snugly fitted therein an inflatable balloon capable of being filled with a gas under pressure.

7. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said inflatable helical balloons as defined in claim 1 are disposed in vertically spaced aligned relationship within said tubular space to provide said plurality of helical slideways.

8. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus including a slide unit comprising an outer collapsible tubular member, an innercollapsible tubular member disposed coaxially within said outer tubular member to form a tubular space therebetween, supporting means for supporting said outer and inner tubular members at the upper ends to extend them vertically, an inflatable helical balloon having convolutions remaining unchanged in diameter of coil and convolutions gradually increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end thereof to form a lower portion thereof, the constant diameter convolutions of said helical balloon being disposed in fixed relationship with respect to said outer and inner tubular member within said tubular space, an annular collapsible balloon fixedly disposed around said outer tubular member at a level substantially equal to the level of the lowermost one of convolutions of said helical balloons remaining unchanged in diameter of coil, a spiral collapsible member, downwardly suspended from said outer and inner tubular members at their lower end and said annular ballons to form a spiral space between convolutions thereof, within which convolutions of said helical balloon gradually increased in diameter of coil are disposed in fixed relationship with respect to said spiral member, said spiral member including at least the outermost convolution having a diameter of coil greater than the diameter of said outer tubular member, said outermost convolution being fixed at the longitudinal edge to the convolution lying under the same to leave an exit on the lower end adjacent to the lower end of said slideway, and a boarding entrance disposed adjacent the lower end of said slideway, and an inflatable float unit connected directly to the lower end of the slide unit.

9. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said float unit includes a pair of annular inflatable balloons vertically superposing each other, a piece of cloth sandwiched in tensioned state between said annular balloons, to provide a waiting place for escaped persons and a length of protective rope attached to the entire outer periphery of the upper balloon.

10. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said float unit includes a pair of annular inflatable balloons vertically superposing each other, a piece of cloth sandwiched in tensioned state between said annular balloons, to provide a waiting place for escaped persons and a length of protective rope attached to the entire outer periphery of first mentioned slide means and operative when inflated for tending to extend to the maximum vertical length thereof and for contracting in response to an inward force applied to'the other end portion thereof to define at least one second helical slide path connected to said first helical slide path and having a variable pitch varying in response to the extended vertical length of said extendable and contractible means and effecting generally vertical displacement along the entire extended vertical length of said extendable and contractible means; whereby the slideway apparatus statically adapts to the available vertical space by the initial extension of said extendable and contractible means and dynamically adapts to a constantly changing available vertical space by the tendency of said extendable and contractible means to extend and the contraction thereof in response to an inward force applied to said other end portion thereof.

12. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus according to claim 1 1, wherein both means comprise an outer collapsible tubular member, an inner collapsible tubular member disposed coaxially within the outer tubular member and coextensive with said outer tubular member to form a tubular space therebetween, supporting means for supporting said outer and inner tubular members at one end portion thereof to extend them longitudinally, an inflatable helical balloon disposed in fixed relationship with respect to said outer and inner tubular members within said tubular space and fillable with a gas under pressure to provide a slide path helically extending about said inner tubular member, and wherein said first helical slide path has convolutions having a constant diameter and said second helical slide path has convolutions having gradually increasing diameter towards said other end portion of said extendable and contractible means.

13. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said outer and inner tubular members of said extendable and contractible means are flared towards the other end portion thereof to accommodate said helical balloon defining said second helical path therebetween.

14. An inflatable escape slideway according to claim 11, wherein said first mentioned means has means defining an entrance at said one end portion thereof and wherein said extendable and contractible means has means defining an exit at said other end portion thereof.

15. An inflatable escape slideway according to claim 1 11, further comprising an inflatable float unit for use in water and connected to said other end portion of said extendable and contractible means.

16. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said outer tubular member of said extendable and contractible means has means defining at least one intermediate nonnally closed exit, a collapsible covering piece covering said intermediate exit and manually removable by a person sliding down along said second helical slide path.

17. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first mentioned means further comprises means imparting rigidity thereto comprising means closing both ends of the inner tubular member thereof and means for filling the interior of the inner tubular member with gas under pressure.

18. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first mentioned means further comprises means imparting rigidity thereto comprising an inflatable balloon capable of being filled with a gas under pressure and closely fitted into the inner tubular member of said first mentioned means.

19. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein both means comprise a plurality of said inflatable helical balloons disposed in spaced aligned relationship within said tubular space to define a plurality of helical slidepaths.

20. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said float unit includes means for providing a resting place comprising a pair of annular inflatable superposed balloons with a piece of cloth sandwiched in between said annular balloons under tension and a length of protective rope attached to the entire outer periphery of the upper balloon. 

1. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus including a slide unit comprising an outer collapsible tubular member, an inner collapsible tubular member disposed coaxially within the outer tubular member and coextensive with said outer tubular member to form a tubular space therebetween, supporting means for supporting said outer and inner tubular members at the upper ends to extend them vertically, an inflatable helical balloon disposed in fixed relationship with respect to said outer and inner tubular members within said tubular space and capable of being filled with a gas under pressure to provide a slideway helically extending about said inner tubular member, a boarding entrance disposed adjacent the upper end of said slideway, an exit provided on the lower end portion of said slide unit, to be adjacent to the lower end of said slideway, and an inflatable float unit connected directly to the lower end of said slide unit, wherein said helical slideway includes an upper portion having convolutions remaining unchanged in diameter of coil, and a lower portion having convolutions gradually increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end thereof thereby to be expanded and contracted in accordance with the vertical movement of said float unit to automatically adjust the height of said slide unit.
 2. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer and inner tubular members include respective lower portions downwardly flared to accommodate the lower portions of said helical balloon therebetween.
 3. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said outer tubular member is provided on the lower portion thereof with at least one intermediate normally closed exit, a collapsible covering piece covering saId intermediate exit and manually removable by a person sliding down along said helical slideway.
 4. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the outer and inner surfaces respectively of said outer and inner tubular members is provided on the lower portions with means including a plurality of lengths of resilient cord fixed at predetermined equal intervals in substantially longitudinally parallel relationship on the associated surface for urging the associated tubular member to contract into a bellows shape.
 5. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion of said inner tubular member is closed at both ends and includes means for filling the interior thereof with a gas under pressure to impart a rigidity thereto.
 6. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion of said inner tubular member has snugly fitted therein an inflatable balloon capable of being filled with a gas under pressure.
 7. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said inflatable helical balloons as defined in claim 1 are disposed in vertically spaced aligned relationship within said tubular space to provide said plurality of helical slideways.
 8. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus including a slide unit comprising an outer collapsible tubular member, an inner collapsible tubular member disposed coaxially within said outer tubular member to form a tubular space therebetween, supporting means for supporting said outer and inner tubular members at the upper ends to extend them vertically, an inflatable helical balloon having convolutions remaining unchanged in diameter of coil and convolutions gradually increased in diameter of coil toward the lower end thereof to form a lower portion thereof, the constant diameter convolutions of said helical balloon being disposed in fixed relationship with respect to said outer and inner tubular member within said tubular space, an annular collapsible balloon fixedly disposed around said outer tubular member at a level substantially equal to the level of the lowermost one of convolutions of said helical balloons remaining unchanged in diameter of coil, a spiral collapsible member, downwardly suspended from said outer and inner tubular members at their lower end and said annular ballons to form a spiral space between convolutions thereof, within which convolutions of said helical balloon gradually increased in diameter of coil are disposed in fixed relationship with respect to said spiral member, said spiral member including at least the outermost convolution having a diameter of coil greater than the diameter of said outer tubular member, said outermost convolution being fixed at the longitudinal edge to the convolution lying under the same to leave an exit on the lower end adjacent to the lower end of said slideway, and a boarding entrance disposed adjacent the lower end of said slideway, and an inflatable float unit connected directly to the lower end of the slide unit.
 9. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said float unit includes a pair of annular inflatable balloons vertically superposing each other, a piece of cloth sandwiched in tensioned state between said annular balloons, to provide a waiting place for escaped persons and a length of protective rope attached to the entire outer periphery of the upper balloon.
 10. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said float unit includes a pair of annular inflatable balloons vertically superposing each other, a piece of cloth sandwiched in tensioned state between said annular balloons, to provide a waiting place for escaped persons and a length of protective rope attached to the entire outer periphery of the upper balloon.
 11. An inflatable escape slidway apparatus comprising: inflatable helical slide means operative when inflated to define at least one firsT helical slide path having a constant pitch to effect generally vertical displacement from one end portion of said slide means to the other end portion thereof; and extendable and contractible inflatable helical slide means connected at one end portion thereof to said other end portion of said first mentioned slide means and operative when inflated for tending to extend to the maximum vertical length thereof and for contracting in response to an inward force applied to the other end portion thereof to define at least one second helical slide path connected to said first helical slide path and having a variable pitch varying in response to the extended vertical length of said extendable and contractible means and effecting generally vertical displacement along the entire extended vertical length of said extendable and contractible means; whereby the slideway apparatus statically adapts to the available vertical space by the initial extension of said extendable and contractible means and dynamically adapts to a constantly changing available vertical space by the tendency of said extendable and contractible means to extend and the contraction thereof in response to an inward force applied to said other end portion thereof.
 12. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus according to claim 11, wherein both means comprise an outer collapsible tubular member, an inner collapsible tubular member disposed coaxially within the outer tubular member and coextensive with said outer tubular member to form a tubular space therebetween, supporting means for supporting said outer and inner tubular members at one end portion thereof to extend them longitudinally, an inflatable helical balloon disposed in fixed relationship with respect to said outer and inner tubular members within said tubular space and fillable with a gas under pressure to provide a slide path helically extending about said inner tubular member, and wherein said first helical slide path has convolutions having a constant diameter and said second helical slide path has convolutions having gradually increasing diameter towards said other end portion of said extendable and contractible means.
 13. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said outer and inner tubular members of said extendable and contractible means are flared towards the other end portion thereof to accommodate said helical balloon defining said second helical path therebetween.
 14. An inflatable escape slideway according to claim 11, wherein said first mentioned means has means defining an entrance at said one end portion thereof and wherein said extendable and contractible means has means defining an exit at said other end portion thereof.
 15. An inflatable escape slideway according to claim 11, further comprising an inflatable float unit for use in water and connected to said other end portion of said extendable and contractible means.
 16. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said outer tubular member of said extendable and contractible means has means defining at least one intermediate normally closed exit, a collapsible covering piece covering said intermediate exit and manually removable by a person sliding down along said second helical slide path.
 17. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first mentioned means further comprises means imparting rigidity thereto comprising means closing both ends of the inner tubular member thereof and means for filling the interior of the inner tubular member with gas under pressure.
 18. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first mentioned means further comprises means imparting rigidity thereto comprising an inflatable balloon capable of being filled with a gas under pressure and closely fitted into the inner tubular member of said first mentioned means.
 19. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein both means comprise a plurality of said inflatable helical balloons disposed in spaced aligned relationship within said tubular space to define a plurality of helical slidepaths.
 20. An inflatable escape slideway apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said float unit includes means for providing a resting place comprising a pair of annular inflatable superposed balloons with a piece of cloth sandwiched in between said annular balloons under tension and a length of protective rope attached to the entire outer periphery of the upper balloon. 